Watchcase



M. TAuBER-r ErAL 2,350,651 WATCH cAsE Filed Jan. 9, 1941 lll 7 I Patented June 6, 1944 WATCHCASE Marcel Taubert, Paul Taubert, and Bernard Taubert, Geneva, Switzerland Application January 9, 1941, Serial No. 373,844 In Switzerland October 25, 1940 1 Claim.

The invention relates to Watch cases consisting of two or more case portions and is directed more particularly to the novel fastening means provided for removably assembling said portions.

It is the object of the invention to provide fastening means of simple construction which are inexpensive to manufacture and which are reliable and efficient in use.

According to the invention one of the portions of the Watch case is provided with a circumferential groove which is laccessible from outside the case and adapted to house an elastic ring inserted therein with. strain, said ring projecting over its Whole circumferential length from said groove to bear upon a-nother portion of the case so as to hold said other portion firmly applied against the rst mentioned case portion.

The accompanying drawing illustrates, by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the invention and several modifications.

F'igure 1 is a vertical axial section of a watch case partly broken away, showing the embodiment of the invention, and Figure 2. is a plan view of the underside or back of the case according to this embodiment.

Figures 3 and 6 are similar plan views showing each a modified form of the invention.

Figures 4 and 5 are vertical axial sections of two further modifications.

The Watch case according to Figures 1 and 2 comprises a case band l having integral therewith the bezel la. The latter is provided with the usual notch lb wherein is xedly mounted a glass or crystal 2. The case band is constructed to form a depending iiange ic and a transverse shoulder ld bearing a packing 4. The watch case comprises further a back 3 capable of seating against the packing 4,

In order to secure the back 3 to the case band l, the depending flange lc of the latter is provided with a circumferential groove 5 of semicircular cross section, said groove housing an elastic ring 'l and being accessible from outside the case through an annular passage 6 provided in the back 3. The ring 'l is split as at I6 and is inserted with a tight fit into the groove 5 so as to be maintained therein by virtue of its strain As clearly shown in Figure 1, the said ring projects over its whole circumferential length from the groove 5, and its projecting part 8 bears upon the Wall 9 of the passage 6 thus holding the back 3 firmly applied against the packing 4 in the case band I.

As shown in Figure 2, a notch I is arranged in the groove as to permit of introducing a tool behind the ring l to facilitate removal of said ring from the groove.

The modification shown in Figure 3 is distinguished from the embodiment shown in Figures l and 2 by the feature that, instead of a notch in the groove 5, there is provided a catch Il on one of the extremities of the ring "l, said catch being so bent as to penetrate into the passage 6 where it is easily seizable by the mentioned tool.

The watch case according to Figure 4 comprises a case band 2l, a glass 22 and a back 23. The back is again seated against a packing 24 lodged in the case band and is assembled With the latter by means of an elastic ring 21 lodged in a circumferential groove 25 of said case band and projecting therefrom to bear against the wall of an annular passage 25 which is provided in the back 23 with a View to render said groove easy of access. Also the glass 22 is removably secured to the case band by fastening means 25a, Zia, 26a, which are similar to those employed for assembling the back and case band. In both instances, the radius of the grooves 25 and 259. is slightly greater than the radius of the rings 2l and 21a, respectively; this difference permits taking up manufacturing errors so as to maintain the Whole of the pressure exerted by the rings 2l and 21a upon the back and glass, respectively, even in cases of imperfect manufacture.

The packings inserted between the different portions of the case may be dispensed with, if desired, as is the case in the modification of Figure 5. The case according to this figure comprises a oase band 3l having integral therewith the bezel 31a carrying the glass 32, and a back 33, said case band and back being again removably fixed to each other by fastening means similar to those shown and described in the example of Figure 4. The back 33 affords at the top of its elevated outer rim a convex surface 33a by means of which it bears directly upon a plane transverse shoulder Sla of the case band 3|.

Finally, in the modification of Figure 6 the Watch case has a rectangular shape. Also the elastic split ring 4l is of rectangular shape, and the groove 45 partially lodging said ring is formed of four rectilinear sections having rounded ends and being disposed one on each side of the case band 4 I.

What is claimed and desired Letters Patent is:

A watch case of the kind consisting of a case band and a glass resiliently and removably secured thereto, wherein the case band is provided on at least one side with an inset annular shoulto be secured by der and an annular flange 'projecting outwardly therefrom, the inner surface ofgsaid flange being formed with an annular groove in it of semicircular cross section, the glass is seated against said shoulder Within said annular ange so that its outer surface is located in a plane lying outside the plane of said groove, the peripheral surface of said glass being formed with a circumferential groove of arcuate crosssection which forms an annular passage leading from the exterior of said glass to said annular groove, and a split ring being inserted under tension into said annular groove and projecting along its entire circumference from said groove so as to bear upon the wall of said annular passage and thereby press the glass resiliently against said shoulder, thus securing tightness of the assembled Watch case.

MARCEL TAUBERT.

PAUL TAUBERT.

BERNARD TAUBERT. 

